LINEAR ALGEBRA

This course will focus on the mathematical theory and methods of linear algebra. Students will become competent in solving linear equations, performing matrix algebra, calculating determinants, and finding eigenvalues and eigenvectors. On the theoretical side, students will come to understand a matrix as a linear transformations relative to a basis of a vector space. Students will become comfortable with the vector space Rnand be exposed to vector spaces more generally by working on examples with polynomials in Pnand continuous functions in C [a ,b ]. The definite integral from calculus will be revisited and recognized as an inner product. Students will understand the concept of orthogonality of vectors and its use in projectingvectors into subspaces and decomposing vectors into components and will learn how to solveover constrained systems using the method of least squares.